


Tape

by NerdyWife24



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Batman - All Media Types, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyWife24/pseuds/NerdyWife24
Summary: Curtis and Felicity go to an expo while John & Oliver investigate the latest in The Tape Murders. What could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Felicity Smoak/Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 26
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

*I do not own the characters- I'm just having some fun! Enjoy & let me know what you think :-)

1.

“Oliver, what do you see?” Diggle asked.

“Whoever did this is a professional, it’s just like the others,” he said his voice rough. Oliver looked down at one of the bodies, the female. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and a pair of glasses in her right hand. There were multiple strips of duct tape covering each of the victim's mouths with a kiss mark drawn on with what seemed to be red sharpie. “Are you getting this?”

“I am. I can see the fingers too.”

“Purple,” Oliver confirmed. The zip ties were tied tightly enough to prevent circulation and to make sure it caused pain.

“Come on back, Felicity should be back tomorrow from the conference and can analyze all the evidence.”

“Agreed, call it in,” he said making his way back to the bunker. Once there he showered and changed his clothes, texting Felicity.

**_Are you up? –OQ_**

**_Just got out of the shower…-FS_ **

**_I miss you. -OQ_ **

**_I miss you too. –FS_ **

She sent him a picture of her just in the towel and he smiled.

**_God you are making me miss you even harder. What time does your flight get in tomorrow? –OQ_ **

**_1030, terminal A. –FS_ **

**_I’ll see you then. I love you. -OQ_ **

**_I love you too. -FS_ **

Oliver sighed wishing she were here. He knew what she was doing was important, but he didn’t want to tell her that he really didn’t want her to go by herself. He always felt better when he was there to protect her, even if it were just from a spider. One more night, he could deal with this one more night while Curtis and she were pitching their ideas.

**\--Gotham City: 2:30am—**

She was afraid of the dark, not when she was with Oliver but specifically when she was by herself. It had to do a little bit with Cooper and that relationship, but she’d never truly confess it to Oliver. She was on the tenth floor, no one was coming in through her window unless it was Batman, which made her giggle. Her door was locked and the light to the bathroom was on with the door was open so she logically could see the whole room. She began to countdown from a hundred and soon imagined herself in Oliver’s warm and safe arms. Soon she fell asleep excited they were going home tomorrow.

Her heart pounding and the feeling of being watched woke her. As she blinked languidly, she tried to gain her bearings and remembering she was in a hotel room she realized something quickly. The room was now pitch black, the hum of the air conditioning was still going so the power was still on to the building. Her rational side of her brain quickly woke up. She listened to everything around her, there was someone in her room. She could hear someone walking slowly on the carpet, their breathing quiet but not quiet enough for her to not hear them.

A scream stuck itself in her throat, no one in this hotel, well except Curtis, would come to her aid. He was a few doors down the hall though if she could just get to him. Thankful that the hum of the air conditioning was loud enough she slowly slid off the side of the bed closet to the door and grabbed the first thing she could grab a pen she knew was on the nightstand.

_Thump, thump._

The bed jiggled with each thump and then she realized what it was. Someone or whoever was in the room was trying to kill her. She slowly began to move towards the door as quietly as she could. She was trying to stay in tune with what was going on around her, but she was terrified. A small light from a flashlight turned on and shined on the bed. Realizing it was whoever checking to see if he/she made the ‘kill’ she made a run to the door.

“HEY!” she heard him say. As she got the door opened, he grabbed her arm, and she stabbed the pen as hard as she could into whatever meaty area she could and took off down the hall towards Curtis’ room. He began to scream in pain, and she felt a sharp burn on her calf and by then Curtis opened his door.

“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked.

“Someone tried to kill me!” she shouted.

“WHAT?!”

“Call the cops Curtis someone tried to kill me, and I stabbed them with a pen and oh God my leg is burning!” she looked down to see blood.

“Felicity, you’re bleeding,” he said as he called 9-1-1. “Yes, my friend was just attacked in her hotel room and she’s bleeding. Room 1013, I’m not sure but our door is locked. Yes ma’am.”

“Curtis where’s your phone?”

“Here,” he said handing it to her. She dialed Oliver’s number.

“Hello?” he said with sleep in his voice.

“Oliver?”

“Felicity? What’s wrong?” he said his voice now quickly awake.

“I was just attacked in my hotel room. Someone tried to kill me,” she rushed out and the panic clear in her voice.

“What?!”

“Someone just attacked me while I was sleeping. I woke up because I felt someone watching me and then the next thing, they shot into the bed twice. I made a break for it and he grabbed my arm and I stabbed him and ran to Curtis’ room and now we’re waiting for police.”

“I’m calling Bruce,” he said vehemently.

“My brother is going to have a conniption.”

“Why? Because you didn’t tell him you were in Gotham or that you were just attacked while in Gotham?”

“Both. Not to mention I’ll need medical attention.”

“What do you mean?”

“My calf is bleeding.”

“Felicity, police are in the hotel,” Curtis said.

“Thank you, Oliver’s calling my brother. This is going to end perfectly.”

A knock on the door had them both on edge. Outside the door was hotel security along with several GPD officers. She sighed and soon she was asking a million questions until she heard her brothers voice in the hall. She rolled her eyes hearing how he was arguing with the young officer not allowing him through the hallway. She looked at Curtis and he nodded in agreeance to go get him before he beat up the poor officer.

“Felicity,” he said kneeling in front of her.

“Hey Bruce, Surprise!” she said grimacing when he jostled her leg.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were in Gotham? Your boyfriend had to call me to tell me that you were here. I don’t understand?”

“I was only here for two days and I knew you would distract me,” she said her eyes getting bigger when she said ‘distract’. Last time she came to Gotham she ended up setting a whole crazy system to find Joker for him and ended up not having any fun.

“That is not true,” he said with a look of petulance on his face.

“Is so,” she countered.

“Well, isn’t this sweet. Brother and sister together once again,” Detective Gordon said walking in. “Hey Felicity, wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Agreed, how’s the family?” she asked.

“They’re great, thanks for asking. You know I’m going to have to ask you what happened.”

“I know,” she sighed and began to tell him what happened while the EMT looked at her leg. She told Detective Gordon everything she knew and what she experienced. By the end, there was a crime scene investigator who walked in to show him a bullet they found embedded in the casing of the door. It was perfect evidence to chase whoever had done this to her down.

“When do you go back home?” he asked.

“I’m supposed to be going home tomorrow with Curtis.”

“You both are staying at the manor this evening and we will bring you to the airport. I would feel better knowing you were under the protection of my home.”

“Okay, I won’t argue with you but that’s because my leg hurts, and Curtis won’t be able to sleep in another room here tonight knowing what happened.”

“Detective do you have any further questions for her?” Bruce asked.

“Not now. If we need to contact you, we know where to go. Take it easy tonight,” he said.

“Thank you and you too. Be safe tonight.”

“Always. I’ll have someone assist you with your belongings.”

“Thank you,” she said as she gingerly stood up. Walking to her room she took a deep breath seeing the blood by her door. She got him good, she smiled internally knowing she had done damage to him. In the room, a female CSI assisted her with her things to make sure the scene was not compromised in any way. Curtis carried her suitcase to the end of the hall to the elevator to not compromise the scene any further. In the elevator, Bruce looked down at his little sister and smiled. He missed her but would never admit it to her.

“I know you missed me,” Felicity said smiling still staring ahead.

“Not too much,” he said shrugging his shoulder.

The car ride was filled with music and mostly silence. Upon arriving Wayne manor Alfred took their luggage to the rooms and Curtis went to bed while Felicity and Bruce talked by the fire. She had a glass of wine in hand while he had a glass of brandy. It had been a long night and getting the call from Oliver his sister had been injured and attacked just made everything worse.

“I wish you would’ve told me you were in Gotham. I miss having you around and so does Alfred.”

“I know but now I have to live my own life. I love Starling City and I love Oliver.”

“And you should be on my comms here not for him,” Bruce said taking a drink.

“Don’t be salty,” she admonished.

“I’ll be salty if I want to. I’ve missed you. Having you help me at night always gave me a sense of security.”

“Me, as your security?” she said putting a hand on her chest.

“Yes, you are the best. Plus, you’re my sister and you always have my back and could always see things before I could,” he smiled as he took another drink.

“Bruce, I truly do love Gotham and it will always be my childhood home, but Starling is my new home, and my life is with Oliver now. You need to be the supportive loving brother you have always been and remember that. I will say if you ever need any help though, I’m always a phone call away.”

“I know that but it’s still not the same. How’s the leg?”

“Sore, it was just a graze,” she replied taking a few more sips of her wine. “So, when are you coming out to Starling to visit?”

“I actually think I’ll be out there next month. Maybe we can all meet up for dinner?”

“I think that would be perfect, as long as you promise to behave yourself.”

“When have I not?”

“Don’t even right now. There have been plenty of times you have been bad, and I’ve had to bail you out or fix the problem for you. This time Oliver is my problem, key word, my, and I love him so no grrness. Promise?”

“Is that even a word?”

“Sure, it is. Alright, I need to go to bed. I need a shower and clean pajamas and squishyness.”

“Do you need help up the stairs?”

“Yes please.”

They took their time up the staircase and finally he just picked her up in a bridal carry and took her to her childhood room. The lavender-colored walls and bedroom were just how she left it. He kissed her on the forehead like he used to and closed the door behind him. She grabbed a pair of pajamas from her bag and headed to the en-suite and showered and soon climbed into bed. She pulled her phone out and called Oliver, who of course answered on the second ring.

“Hey, are you okay? Do I need to come out there? Are there any leads?” he fired off rapidly.

“Honey, I’m fine. I just got out of the shower and yes before you ask, I was careful with my bandages. No, you don’t need to come out and I haven’t hacked their system yet to see any leads yet. How’s it going there?”

“We’ve had another murder.”

“Another tape one?” she asked putting her weight on her elbow, he had caught her attention.

“Yes. I need your eyes on this when you get back.”

“You got it,” she said yawning.

“Get some rest, I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Okay. Good night. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She soon fell into a slumber, the light to the en-suite on and bright. Her balcony door was locked, and the curtains had been drawn. It was quick how he made his way onto the Wayne property, he was surprised there were no alarms going off or guard dogs as the media had always said. He made it inside the house via the indoor pool door. The steam from the pool hit him hard in the face and made his face moist. Using the back of his hand he wiped his face and continued to make his way through the Wayne mansion. Finding a staircase he took it to the second floor and was surprised it looked exactly how he was told it looked.

He counted the doors from the big bay window and found her room, noting how obvious it was when he could see light shining under her door. He slowly placed his silencer on the end of his gun and slowly opened the door and made his way into her room. She was asleep this time he could see her blonde hair spread on the pillow he smiled knowing he finally was going to complete his task. As he aimed, he was tackled to the ground as a shot rang out hitting the ceiling. The sound of punches was loud enough to wake her up.

“FELICITY RUN!” Bruce yelled at her as he struggled for a minute to disarm the gunmen. She took off running down the hall, hitting the police symbol on the alarm system. She headed towards the library, knowing she would be safe. She ran into the room and hit the keys on the piano to open the secret door leading to the Batcave, which for everyone’s information, Bruce never called it that. The door closed behind her as the elevator slowly brought her to the place that she had considered a second home for so many years.

She limped her way to the chair and watched as Bruce was struggling again with the unknown assailant. She could see the anger in his face as he fought the struggling man, it finally seemed like Bruce had the upper hand and as he fought to turn him over the man flipped out of his grasp and jumped through the window leaving a stunned Bruce. The police were already at the gate and her calf was throbbing and as she looked down her calf was bleeding again. She sat down before the dizzyness and the anxiety attack consumed her. She heard the elevator and saw Bruce rush out towards her and looked her over.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“You’re the one bleeding, not me, are you okay?”

“Yes, well my calf is bleeding again, great,” she said.

“Let me get some gauze, the police are here, we need to get upstairs.”

“Okay, help me up to the elevator please, I’m sorry I’m bleeding everywhere.”

“Don’t worry about me, you’re the one who is going to have to deal with Alfred,” he smiled at her.

“Oh crap, he’s worse than Oliver any day of the week,” she grimaced putting weight on her leg. “Oh, this sucks,” she complained.

“Let him baby you, he’ll forgive you. You’ve always been his favorite, you and I both know that.”

“Oh, I know,” she smiled as the elevator made it's way back to the library.

“Have a seat here, let me let them know you’re in here, keep the pressure on that. I’ll dress it again later.

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” she said as Curtis walked in.

“You know it’s like you’re a magnet,” he said sitting next to her. “Are you alright? Have you called Mr. Tall and Broody yet?”

“No, he’d be on the next flight here,” she says rubbing her head.

“You alright?”

“Dizzy, blood loss, I think. Loss of adrenaline, pretty sure I had an anxiety attack, Curtis?”

“Yeah?”

“I think I’m going to pass out,” she said her eyes rolling back, Curtis caught her before she fell off the couch.

“BRUCE! HELP!” Curtis yelled laying her down, lifting her knees. Bruce ran into the room, police officers and Alfred right behind them. “She said she was dizzy and then passed out, I caught her before she fell.”

“Please call an ambulance,” Bruce said calmly, looking at the gauze that was drenched in blood. “Alfred towels please, Curtis, relax. Please call Oliver and let him know what happened. We will be going to the hospital, if he can get here that would be great,” Curtis nodded and then pulled his cell phone out to call Oliver.

“Oliver, it’s Curtis, um Bruce would like you to come here, we’re on our way to the hospital,” he said as he pulled the phone away from his ear as the yelling could be heard. Bruce grabbed the phone from Curtis.

“Oliver, shut up it’s me, get on a plane, you and John both. There was another attempt we need all the help we can get. We are heading to the hospital and we will be in the Wayne wing. I will have Alfred pick you both up from the airport and bring you straight to the hospital. We will see you soon,” he said hanging up on Oliver. Curtis looked dumbfounded. “What?”

“You just hung up on Mr. Tall and Broody, no one does that.”

“I just did. Curtis, please come with us to the hospital I want to keep everyone close,” he smiled and Curtis just nodded.

“I’m going to get changed first.”

“Mr. Wayne, the ambulance is at the gate, Curtis and I will follow. I shall bring you a bag also.”

“Thank you, Alfred.”

The EMTs arrived and soon got them in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital, she was paler than usual. They started an IV, thankfully while she was asleep, and started on fluids. Arriving in the emergency room they quickly took her away and started looking at her leg.

“Hello again, Bruce,” Dr. Carter said. “Apparently that stab wound is not a stab wound, it’s a gunshot wound. I am going to have to clear it out flush it thoroughly and make sure there is nothing left in there, there is no exit wound but we will need to examine it very carefully. I will have her up the Wayne wing soon, she’s such a sweet girl who would do this to her?” he asked.

“I’m not sure but when I do find out I’ll kill him myself,” Bruce gritted. “Do what you need to do, I’ll be close by. Thank you again, Dr. Carter,” he said shaking the man's hand.

“There isn’t a chance of pregnancy is there?” Dr. Carter asked.

“Um, no. Not until she marries Oliver.”

“Okay, you’re sure.”  
“Yes, she’s still you know.”

“Oh, understood. She got the good genes then,” he smiled.

“Oh, I see, you’re going to take her side,” Bruce laughed.

“I’ve told you time and time again, multiple partners are not healthy.”

“I know. Go help my sister, let me know if you need anything.”

Bruce sighed watching Dr. Carter walk in and examine Felicity’s leg more. A mobile x-ray machine was brought in and Bruce watched as they scanned her leg and gave her pain meds. Dr. Carter soon got to work fishing out the small round embedded in her leg. He watched him rinse the area with antibiotics and soon stitched her leg up and bandaged it. The site of seeing his sister in the position she was in made him angry, angry that someone would try to hurt his little sister.

Soon they were up in the Wayne wing, a room as big as her tiny condo she used to have. He sat in the recliner watching her sleep, slightly snoring, and saw how peaceful she was. Hours had gone by, Dr. Carter assured him she would be out for a while thanks to the morphine and medications he had administered. The door opened slightly, and Bruce prepared to pounce but saw it to be Oliver with John behind him and Alfred behind him.

Oliver acknowledged him and walked straight over to Felicity and placed his hand on her cheek, caressing it. Even asleep she smiled and leaned into his touch. That was when Bruce knew, Oliver cared for her more than any other person in this world. He knew at that moment that whatever would come their way, Oliver would always take care of his sister.

**What did you think I was gone forever? No way, it’s called having a kid-working full time- oh and going to school full time. I’m back baby.**


	2. Chapter 2

2.

“Look I’m fine, I can walk, see,” she said as she balanced herself carefully.

“You have to take it easy Miss Felicity or both your brother and Mr. Oliver will have me killed,” Alfred hovered.

“Yes, I know but I can walk from the table to the fridge and get a water bottle, see?” she said opening the fridge and taking the bottle out of the fridge. “See!” She said smiling as she slowly made her way to the chair at the table. “I can do it,” she fist-pumped as she sat.

“Yes, I know but if anything were to happen to you,” he began.

“They can deal with me, they can't be mad at me, I’m too cute,” she said winking and smiling at Alfred.

“I’ve missed you, Miss Felicity,” he said giving her a squeeze.

“I’ve missed you too, and these, I’ve missed these a lot,” she said staring at the tray of brownies in front of her.

“Where did the boys go?” she asked grabbing a piece of the brownie.

“Downstairs, they’ll be back soon.”

“You know what sounds great?”

“Chocolate mint ice cream on top of chocolate chip cookies?”

“It’s like you know me so well.”

“More than you know, I’ll get that going for dessert tonight.”

“This is why you’re my favorite Alfred.”

She watched him move across the room to get the items ready for the chocolate chip cookies. She smiled watching him and memories of her childhood were coming through. Martha and her baking together, or Thomas and her sitting at the kitchen table doing homework. Tears started to well up in her eyes, she missed them more than anyone truly knew. They were the only set of parents she had ever known, and they showed her love when she knew nothing of that before them, she was only two when her biological mother was murdered, and she was found hiding in a cupboard. Reports had shown that she may have been in the cupboard for days, enough trauma to last a lifetime and enough to make her afraid of the dark. Marth and Thomas took her in, refusing to allow her in a system that may have failed her. There were lots of family vacations until she was eight, their last family trip was to the home on Longboat Key in Sarasota. The six-bedroom, the seven-bathroom estate was completely different from the Wayne manor. The Wayne manor had always been dark and gloomy to her, the Beach manor was open and light and happy. The private beach was even better than anything she had ever imagined.

“Felicity, are you alright?” Alfred asked.

“Yeah, just lost in my memories.”

After a while she began to get tired again, something she didn’t like that the pain meds did to her, Alfred helped her to her room and got her comfortable. She soon fell asleep, when she woke again, she noticed it was dark out. She got up and walked to her en-suite, after she was done a knock at her door had her hobbling over. Opening it she smiled to see Oliver there.

“Hi,” he said giving her the smile that always melted her heart.

“Hi,” she replied.

“How are you doing?”

“I slept more than I thought I would, I guess just catching up,” she smiled.

“You hungry? Alfred has a pretty big spread downstairs and, he says all of your favorites.”

“He spoils me and yes I am very hungry,” her stomach growled to emphasize her point.

“Alright then, let me help you, we’ll need to change your dressing afterwards you know. Also,” he said helping her down the stairs, “we found some things but will need your skills.”

“Sounds interesting but after dinner.”

Dinner was amazing, she almost fell into a food coma but thankfully she didn’t. After dinner Oliver and she went to the bat cave, she spent some time working. She processed all the evidence they gave her, and it wasn’t until Oliver walked over to her to let her know it was two am that it was time to stop for the night. When she stood up her legs wobbled some and he picked her up.

“I have you,” he said snuggling her close. His scent overwhelming her and giving her a sense of calm.

“I have you,” she said smiling up at him. “Thank you for making me get away, it’s a web and I’m trying to find the spider,” she yawned.

“Well, as long as that spider doesn’t find you, I’ll be okay with that. You find anything exciting out yet?”

“Other than the fact that all have blonde hair, blue eyes? Nothing yet. The only difference was the last one you went to, she was the only one engaged living with her fiancée. But it was strange, they live in a high rise on the fourteenth floor. The door was locked even with the chain so how did the murderer get in and out? I hate mysteries,” she said closing her eyes to slits making him chuckle.

“It’ll be there tomorrow Felicity, you need to get some rest, you wanna shower so I can change your bandage?”

“That would be great,” she smiled getting her bath things together. “Would you mind sleeping in here with me tonight? I mean, you know if Bruce catches you in my bed, he’d kill you but what about the chaise lounger?”

“I’d like to see him try, I can take batboy. That’ll be fine. I’ll get my things I’ll be right back,” he said leaving her alone to shower.

A few minutes later he arrived back in the room with his pajama bottoms and pillow. He heard her turn off the shower and the thought of her being behind the door not wearing anything caused his pulse to rise and something else as well. But they had made a deal, they would wait. There was no doubt that there was serious chemistry between the two of them, but when she told him about Cooper and all the hell he had put her through he understood why she wanted to wait. Years of therapy had helped but she agreed she would wait until she was at least engaged or married before she put herself in that position again. When she emerged from the bathroom wearing her pajamas he smiled, her short bottoms had little bunnies on them, her tank top had a bunny face on them, and she just looked so darn cute. He walked over and kissed her on the forehead.

“I’m going to take a quick shower then change your bandages, go get comfortable,” he said smiling as she made her way to her Queen-Sized canopy bed. After taking the quickest and shortest shower of his life he came out not wearing a shirt only his navy-blue joggers and brought the bandage supplies to her bed. Taking her leg in his hands he slowly removed the bandage and began to clean it and placed the ointment on the stitches and then re-bandaged her calf. “How does that feel?”

“Good, still hurts,” she said sitting up more,” she sighed.

“Well, of course, it’s going to honey. You had a bullet in your leg of course it’s going to hurt. Take it from me.”

“You may it look so easy though,” she whined.

“It still hurts nevertheless, take your pills to get some rest love,” he said kissing her sweetly.

“I will love goodnight,” he said turning off the bedroom light and opening the bathroom door a crack. Getting onto the lounger he snuggled in and soon fell asleep. He awoke hours later, to hear her whining, she was having a nightmare, he made his way over to her and placed his hand on her cheek and she instantly calmed. He always wondered what caused her to worry, what caused her dreams to become hell instead of heaven. He reminisced on his nightmares of everything he had ever been through, the trials and tribulations of the island, his times with the Bratva, and Ras. Looking at his phone there was another message from Detective Lance.

**Another one was found. See below pictures. -QL**

He scrolled through the pictures and his mind raced, it looked like a picture of something he had seen before. The woman was once again tied up to the point her hands were purple but what really caught his gaze was the woman. Her hair was long black and straight, her makeup done extremely dark and her lips were black. She was wearing black skinny jeans that were ripped at the knee, her black tank top covered by a long necklace with the Egyptian Ankh symbol. His stomach sunk, this could have been Felicity’s twin when she was in college. He slowly made his way down the hall and knocked on Bruce’s door, he was awake sitting on the foot of the bed watching the news.

“What is it?” Bruce asked.

“Look at this,” he said handing him the phone Bruce sucked in a breath as he realized what he was looking at.

“Jesus, it looks like Felicity in college during Cooper, you don’t think?”

“Listen she tried to find traits matching but none of them really made sense she said. I’m not sure how the last crime, the engaged couple how they were murdered. They lived on the fourteenth floor, doors were locked and chained from the inside. But what makes me even more curious is the attacks on her here, how the hell is this guy still killing in Starling and someone’s attacking here? It’s a little much. Not to mention he got one up on you.”

“I slipped and he jumped out the window, usually I’m not just wearing a pair of socks and I didn’t just hush, I normally get my guy Queen. Should we just keep her here until you resolve Starling?”

“She’s been attacked twice here so far you also have to leave the house to work and check Gotham at night. What do we do?”

“Well, I can answer that,” she said behind Oliver. “I’d like to go home, we have to be on the ground. We’re missing something and I need to be there to see it. And before either one of you argues with me about this, my decision end of story.”

“Felicity, you, I mean we can’t risk you getting hurt, there was another one last night look at the pictures,” the phone was handed to her and she looked at the pictures and sat down in Bruce’s chaise lounger.

“This,” she said her voice breaking, “this looks like me, five years ago. After,” she stopped talking and froze. “Cooper, but he’s dead,” she said showing them the picture of the last crime scene, “I know this, I’ve seen this before, it’s what Cooper gave me when we were dating during valentines’ days, what’s the likely hood of each of the murder scenes have these,” she said pointing to the heart-shaped box of chocolates with a single red rose on top. “Bruce hand me your tablet,” she said. Within a few seconds, she had all the different crime scene pictures on his bedroom tv. “There they are, how did I not see this before?”

“But I thought you said he died?” Bruce asked.

“Yes, he hung himself before sentencing. His mother had him cremated,” she said her voice trailing off “oh I’m such an idiot.”

“What?” Oliver said.

“I didn’t see the body Oliver, how many times do we have to say someone is dead and then find out they’re really alive? He said he was working on a deal, but I don’t know if he really was or not and now, I’m questioning my whole life.”

“Hey,” Oliver said getting in front of her, lifting her chin up to meet his eyes. “No reason you should be questioning your whole life. Do you think you can look into him possibly being used as a government asset?”

“You’re a genius,” she said as she started typing away on the tablet, eventually she was able to hack into the NSA database and sure enough, he was listed as an asset and was currently listed as missing on a mission as of six months ago. “When was our first murder in Starling?”

“January,” he said realization hitting him as well.

“It’s him, it has to be,” Felicity said. “It’s literally the only thing that makes sense, but why not get to me sooner than now, I mean face it there’s been plenty of opportunities,” she said agitation still in her voice.

“He’s toying with you, it’s a game to him,” Bruce piped up. “He wants you not to think it’s him, but some part of his psyche is telling him to keep clues going to feel some type of connection to you and unfortunately that’s his downfall in the end and that’s how we can get him to stop. I don’t think both are the same either, I think and truly believe they are both different unless Cooper jacked-up massively while in prison and gained a foot, it’s not him.”

“We need a plan before we go back home Felicity, I can’t risk him getting to you,” Oliver said almost pleading his case to her.

“I agree with DoDo bird, we need a plan and hopefully we can kill two birds with one stone. Let’s get some breakfast and then start discussions,” Bruce said standing up putting on a t-shirt.

**Okay, so it’s gonna feel like a slow start but it’ll make sense when we’re all the way through. To answer a few questions, I will be posting weekly. I’m also hoping this chapter answer the question that there are two people not just one (Felicity’s pissed someone off but who?) If you notice some missteps just know I’m not perfect and do not say I am, we all are human and make mistakes (Gasp I know right). But I will say that now that I am writing again I feel apart of me coming back out that has been awoken in a while so you get to experience the fruits of my awakening.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Please Note: T.W. Mentions of rape, violence and panic/anxiety attacks.**

**3.**

Felicity lay in her bed at Wayne Manor still reeling from the days discussions/arguments/screaming match that resulted in her going to her room earlier than anyone expected, mostly due to frustration. She could see they were trying to keep her safe but the level of frustration she felt was from dealing with two guys who were so pigheaded they couldn’t see her point of view. She was okay going in public trying to get Cooper or Black Mask (that’s what she had called him because what else would you call him?) She wanted to know who they were, the mystery was slowly eating at her. Every time she closed her eyes she could still feel the Black Mask in her hotel room, she could feel her hand holding the pen stabbing it into his leg. Even the blood that came back from their labs came back inconclusive. They had decided on sending Curtis back with their information they received from the expo to start showing and training others.

The sun was beginning to set so she made her way to her balcony and sat down watching the sunset on the massive estate. It was always so beautiful and peaceful, it typically calmed her down. She smiled at the railing on the balcony, noticing the intricate design of the metal. Martha and Thomas had decided to have the balcony retrofitted to the house since Martha found Felicity on the roof and after being terrified, she would fall and hurt herself they had the balcony built. When you stared at the iron pieces, there were little symbols that meant something to her and their parents. She wasn’t biologically theirs, she was the daughter of Martha’s friend, Donna Smoak, when Donna died, well murdered, they refused to have Felicity go to a home, so they adopted her into their small family.

She sat there until it got dark, contemplating her next few steps wondering why she was in this position. What had she done to deserve what she had been going through, then the thoughts of Cooper came back and she could feel the panic starting to build in her chest. The memories of her time with him and how horribly it ended brought chills up her spine. She could remember everything that happened, the internal and external scars were still there. Before the FBI came breaking down their door, he held her captive for six days in the dorm room. Everyone on campus thought she had gone home to see Bruce on a family emergency because that’s what he told them. Meanwhile, he had gagged her, kept her hands handcuffed behind her back so tight that if she tried to get out of them, she could feel the blood, he brutally raped her over and over again and tortured her, just because she stood up to him and told him no. No, she would not give herself to him and no she would not give him the super virus. He took both, against her will and used the virus, which thankfully saved her life in the end. 

When the FBI found them, she was barely conscious, battered and bruised, and fighting for her life. In the hospital they did everything they could to help her, Bruce arrived soon to find her hooked up to machines, and doctors unsure if she would be okay due to her body’s infections. He had broken her ribs, her left radius and ulna had been fractured and would need pins, the bruising all over her body would take a while to heal, and psychologically the wounds were greater. Two weeks later she was taken out of the medically induced coma to see Bruce standing there smiling at her, but the shame she felt was greater than seeing him. She just began to cry, after healing from the physical trauma she began to go to therapy three times a week, it took months to heal from him and her vow she made to not be intimate with anyone again until she was either engaged or married to someone was in the forefront of her mind. She had only told Oliver bits of what happened with Cooper, she didn’t want to see the pity in his eyes.

When she came back to the present after reliving some of her trauma and most likely going through an anxiety attack, the temperature had significantly dropped, and she was shaking. When she stood up, the throbbing in her leg was letting her know it was time for more pain pills, a slight movement on the ground had her looking. It was someone dressed all in black slinking across the property. She hurried inside and closed the door and made her way to the hallway to let Bruce know what she had seen but he wasn’t in his room, neither was Oliver nor Dig.

“Oh, frack,” she said hobbling down the hallway. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me!” she said hobbling down the stairs, she could hear the door to her room creak open she cursed under her breath making her way past the last turn she made it to the kitchen area, and no one was there as well. “Are you shitting me?” she made her way to the office area and pressed the keys on the piano to make it to the bat cave before she could be found. The door closed and she could hear the door to the library slam open and something crash. “Hurry up!” she yelled at the elevator. Making her way to the bat cave she found Bruce, Dig, and Oliver on the mats and Alfred working on equipment. “Are you kidding me right now? He’s in the house!” she yelled.

“What?!” Bruce yelled. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, no thanks to you fools,” she said sitting in her old chair. “I was sitting on the balcony and I saw movement, none of you were upstairs or downstairs so I needed to get out of dodge so here I am. Now get up there and get rid of him now!” she said using her loud voice and all three men made their way to the elevator. Alfred made his way to her to check her leg. “I’m alright Alfred,” she said her voice lower and calmer.

“I’d feel better looking at it myself Miss Felicity,” he said removing the bandage as she pulled up the security feeds. All three men were in a fight against the man and it seemed like they would finally get him. With a chokehold, Diggle got him down to the ground while Oliver and Bruce cuffed him and placed him in a chair. Felicity looked at her leg and saw how good it was starting to look after a few days. “Well, I think we can keep the big bandage off now, oh look they have him, shall we have a word with him?”

“I like your thinking Alfred,” she said getting up and making her way to the elevator with Alfred in tow. Once on the main level, she made her way over to the guys, they were discussing what they were going to do. “Well, you should take off his mask first,” she said. When his mask was removed, she gasped and took a step back. His face was mutilated, almost as if someone purposely burned and scared his face on purpose. She had no idea who he was, but she felt pity for him.

“Who the hell is he?” Oliver asked.

“I have no idea, but his face,” she said her voice trailing off. They stood back watching Dig and Bruce chain the main tighter to the chair.

“I know, they look purposeful,” Oliver said.

“They are,” the man’s deep timber voice spoke up.

“Who are you and why do you want to harm my sister?” Bruce asked his Batman voice clear. The man said nothing and just smiled at her, the grin sending a chill up her spine. “I won’t ask you again,” Bruce said with menace in his voice, the man just continued smiling not saying a word, staring directly at her. Bruce grabbed the man's face and brought it to face his, “answer the damn question,” he said through gritted teeth. Again, the man did nothing, “Felicity, look away,” he said she turned her back on them as she heard things happening behind her and she didn’t even want to know what they were doing to him. “ANSWER THE QUESTION!” again the man said nothing, she heard him spit on the ground.

“I have nothing to say to you,” the man said, his voice filled with evil.

“Who sent you,” Oliver asked, again the man said nothing to him. She again heard flesh again flesh, “WHO SENT YOU!” When the man again said nothing, she turned around and looked at him, the man smiled evilly shaking her to her core.

“Who are you and why do you want to hurt me?” she asked, her voice firm with no tremble showing no fear knowing he wanted to hear her fear.

“She speaks, sweeter than I expected,” the man said. “I’ve been looking for you for a time now, Felicity Smoak. I’ve bided my time, waiting to strike.”

“Why?” she asked her head tilting to the side. “What do I have that you could possibly want?”

“I’ve been trying to get close to you since I killed your mother with my bare hands, I couldn’t find you though and even though I did I just watched you from afar. I took care of that little Jacob, you remember him, don’t you?”

“The lacrosse player from college? You’re the one who killed him?” she asked astonished.

“He had plans for you little one and I couldn’t let him get in my way and then Cooper, that Cooper he did things to you I wish I could’ve done I almost finished you then, but I was the one who placed the anonymous call to the FBI. I’ve been in each of your apartments and multiples of your hotel rooms without you even noticing, I liked the yellow walls more than the green ones in your bedroom by the way,” he said laughing.

“What in the actual frack, you weirdo,” she said. But then reality hit her, he had seen her for years and was the worst case of a stalker and creeper she had ever seen, and she thought Cupid was a creeper. “Why did you kill my mom and why do you want to kill me?”

“Well, why don’t we just have a cup of tea and discuss everything,” he said sarcastically causing Dig to smack him in the back of the head.

“I’m pretty sure if you give me the answers these guys will most likely make your death a lot less painful, or you can be tortured to death and you know what I don’t have to deal with you anymore and not stress out about some creeper being in my house or hotel room anymore so what do you want?” Felicity said using her loud voice and getting louder. The man began to laugh, his laugh reminded her of Tim Curry’s _IT_ laugh. The next she knew, Bruce was on the man and the chair fell back if it wasn’t because of Oliver she was pretty sure Bruce may have killed him. Dig helped the chair get back up to its normal position, the man was in between consciousness and Oliver was forcing Bruce out of the room. “Alfred, could you bring me a medical kit?”

“What are you doing Felicity?” Dig asked.

“I’m showing some compassion, I can’t let you all kill him yet,” she said moving a chair closer to the man.

“I don’t like this,” he said.

“Well, it’s my decision,” she said moving a chair closer to the man. “He can’t hurt me with all of you around.” Alfred showed back up with the medkit and handed it to Felicity.

“Are you sure about this Miss Felicity?” he asked.

“I am, you were one of the first people who showed me compassion, remember?”

“I do, so very much.” Felicity opened the medkit and started to attend to the man’s wounds, he gained consciousness and stared at her intently. Alfred helped her with items and some of the wounds as well.

“Why are you helping me?” the man asked, his voice soft barely above where Alfred and she could hear.

“Because someone as a child taught me compassion, my mothers were one of them and Alfred the other. I also believe there is good in every human being no matter what anyone thinks. I also believe in forgiveness, to a degree. I had to forgive Cooper to heal myself, I also had to forgive you for my mother's murder,” she said sitting back. “You see every person is good and every person chooses to be good or evil,” she said “that’s for the person to decide and that’s why I choose to be good. I want to change the world, I want to help people as best as I can, you understand?”

“I do, but I choose to be evil. That’s my decision, once my mind is made up there’s no changing that. No matter how your sweet words should affect me they don’t. I will end up killing you and you will not be changing this world,” he said with disdain dripping with each word.

“That’s fine but at least I know I will be doing good, by doing good it’ll mean getting rid of you,” she said meeting the disdain in his tone. “You do not scare me, I’ve been through hell and back and I have no shame in ending you. You tried to hurt me, you’ve tried to hurt my family and that means you’re going to die, I tried to be nice, but you will end up having a very painful death,” she said walking away from him, well more like limping away but she did. The man in the chair began to laugh maniacally sending chills up her spine but she kept her head held high, she would not let him see how much he affected her. In the kitchen, she found Oliver and Bruce discussing their next steps.

“You okay?” she asked Bruce.

“Fine, you?”

“A little pissy, I don’t know what the hell I ever did to her or mom ever did to him but screw that guy. I tried playing nice, but you guys go do your thing,” she said sitting down next to Bruce, lifting her leg up and putting it up on his. He tapped it like he always did.

“You’ve done nothing wrong, he’s just a demented psychopath. How have none of us ever noticed him before? He’s literally been following you for years Lis. I’m going to have Dig run his prints to see what we can find out about him, I’m sure Oliver has a few ideas on how to get rid of this sadistic human being if we even want to call him human. How’s your leg?” he said pulling it up more to see.

“It’s getting better, the throbbing has lessened a lot, but I’ll get there.”

Hours later, after Dig had checked his prints across the Argus database and other than more than four dozen murders across the world including other women and some children, no name or identification were found on him. Bruce, Oliver, and Dig took their time trying to get as much information out of him before he was officially disposed of. Felicity slept well knowing he wouldn’t ever harm her or anyone else again. Little did they all know, the hell their lives would be over the next year.

**Stuff is about to get real, please hold onto your shorts. Just know that I appreciate you all and I do see all of your comments, let me know if there’s anything you wish or hope happens.**


End file.
